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International Exchange Program Seminar on March 5

CHANGE YOUR WORLD BY HOSTING AN EXCHANGE STUDENT

Informational seminar on Monday, March 5 from 7:00-8:00 pm in Kohler Library

KOHLER, WI—(February 13, 2012)—Center for Cultural Interchange (CCI), the well-respected, nonprofit student exchange organization, seeks volunteer host families to host exchange students for the 2012-13 school year. Each year, CCI provides over 1000 exchange students from over 50 countries the opportunity to study in local public high schools for a five-month semester or a 10-month Academic High School Year.

“Host families make all of the difference,” said Allison Graham, Outreach and Training Manager. “They influence a young adult’s life, changing world views, and making dreams come true. When the family is so willing to give, they have just as many rewarding and enriching experiences as the student.”

Volunteer host families come from varied economic, religious and racial backgrounds and include working parents, empty nesters, singles and single parents. They are to provide:

· Open communication, encouragement, patience and sound advice

· A separate bed, which can be in a shared room with a host sibling of similar age and same gender, and a quiet place to study

· Three daily meals

· Local transportation (students are not permitted to drive while on the program)

· Treatment as a member of the family, which may include household rules, responsibilities and privileges.

While host families are not compensated, the Internal Revenue Service has authorized families to claim a $50 per month charitable contribution deduction on their itemized tax returns.

Students have their own accident and health insurance and bring their own spending money. Students are encouraged to participate in school-sponsored activities, community service and environmental programs. CCI provides regular communication and support to both host families and students. Host family applications are being accepted now through August 15.

Tandra Sbrocco, Local Coordinator for CCI, will be holding an informational seminar about exchange programs on Monday, March 5th from 7:00-8:00 p.m. in the Kohler Public Library. Learn about the benefits of hosting as well as opportunities for you and your children to study and travel abroad. For more information, visit http://www.cci-exchange.com, email tsbrocco@gmail.com or contact Tandra Sbrocco at 920-918-8450.

CPAP Fair

WHEN:    Tuesday, February 21 • 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

WHERE:    Home Care Resources - 2922 S. Business Drive, Sheboygan

WHO:    For people already using CPAP equipment or those who want to know     more about it.

WHAT:    Registered sleep technologists will answer questions throughout the day.
   
        There will be drawings for free CPAP masks and filters.

        Attendees can bring in their CPAP machines for free pressure checks.

        Manufacturers’ reps will be at the store 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. to show the newest products (especially for women and travel).

        Widest selection of masks and machines offered locally.
   
        They accept and will bill Medicare and most insurance plans.
   
WHY:    Fourth annual event due to popularity and great attendance at previous events.  More people are using CPAP equipment and don’t know where to go locally for expert advice.
   

Scholarship Opportunity

Mental Health America is offering a scholarship to promote careers in the field of mental health. High school seniors who are pursuing a career related to mental health are encouraged to apply. For more information or an application form, visit www.mhasheboygan.org under “Upcoming Events” or call Angela Wessels, Mental Health America, at 458-3951.

Learn to Look at Business Differently and Create New Income at February Women in Management Meeting

       Martha VandeLeest, Vice President of Finance, and Kathryn Schwark, Retail Furniture Division Manager, both of Richardson Industries, Inc. will take Women in Management members through the process of creating the Atrium Tea Room and Café, located in Richardson’s Furniture Emporium.  In 2007, they used their combined knowledge of the trend of tea rooms and healthy eating to take a fresh look at the unique atrium space in the Furniture Emporium and created the Tea Room.  As the developers of the Tea Room, they will detail for meeting attendees the process from brainstorming through continued evolution today.
The February 15 meeting of the Sheboygan Area Chapter of Women in Management, Inc. (WIMI) will be at the Elks Lodge, 1943 Erie Avenue in Sheboygan from noon to 1:30 p.m.  Cost for the luncheon is $12 for members and $15 for guests.  To attend, reservations must be made to Membership Chair Anne Harrington by Tuesday, February 7 at 5:00 p.m. to rsvpwim@gmail.com. 
During their presentation, Schwark and VandeLeest will detail research of the initial tea room concept, reconfiguration of the space, sourcing of products, education of staff, and continuing enhancements.  Originally started with an array of premium loose leaf teas and a limited food offering, the business has steadily grown.  Today, in addition to hundreds of teas that are precisely brewed, their menu features lunch options, desserts and specialty tea drinks, exclusive to the Atrium Tea Room.  They further expanded the business a year after it began to provide an educational component through tea classes.  
In addition to reinventing the existing furniture business with the Tea Room, they have added bath and body care items, jewelry lines, wearable art, and a Chef’s Corner.  Today’s business world demands innovative thinking to anticipate and capitalize on trends and these speakers will share their acumen on how to do that.    
  WIMI is a networking group for area business women who are managers, aspiring 
managers, business professionals, and business owners.  The group has 92 members and growing and meets on the third Wednesday of each month, from noon to 1:30 p.m.   
For more information about Women in Management, Inc. contact Anne Harrington at 783-2429 or rsvpwim@gmail.com

Celebrate Red Tea and Roses at February Tea Class

      Tea and roses come in a variety of colors but what better month to celebrate the color red they share than the one Valentine’s Day occurs? Rooibos is also called “red tea” or “red bush tea” because of the bright red coloring the leaves take on during the oxidation and fermentation processes. It’s information like this that attendees will learn at the Saturday, February 11 tea class.  Aptly named “Rooibos and Roses,” the class will take place from 11:30 to 12:30 at the Atrium Team Room and Cafe.
Rooibos tea is made from the leaves of a plant that grows only in a small region of South Africa.  A properly brewed cup of rooibos tea will be a rich red color and have a sweet, nutty flavor.  While it’s traditionally served with milk and sugar in native South Africa, most drinkers outside of that region prefer rooibos tea on its own or with a bit of honey. 
Rooibos tea has high levels of antioxidants so like most teas, there are health benefits of drinking it. Most noteworthy are its ability to improve the immune system, the promotion of stronger bones and teeth, cancer-fighting, and it offers relief from digestive concerns.  Since it is caffeine-free, rooibos tea drinkers have found it relaxes them, relieves tension and aids in better sleep.  This, in turn helps alleviate headaches and irritability.
Roses have been associated with tea dating back through history. Both through the association with gardening and the fresh-cut flowers providing the finishing touch to a well-decorated table.
Cost for the Feb. 11 tea class is $25 per person; reservations are required.  Attendees will sample a minimum of three teas along with afternoon-style tea service of foods to accompany them.  Handouts and recipes are also included.  Participants receive a discount on their purchases in the Tea Room and entire store the day of the class.  
Developers of the Tea Room, tea artisans Martha VandeLeest and Kathryn Schwark, were trained by STI, the leader in the tea industry, and will be instructors for the class.  Both have also received enhanced training from International Tea Specialists at the World Tea Conference.     
The “Rooibos and Roses” class will be held Saturday, February 11 starting at 11:30 a.m. at the Atrium Tea Room and Cafe located in Richardson’s Furniture Emporium at 202 Pine Street in Sheboygan Falls.  For more information or to reserve your spot, call 467-6659 or e-mail kschwark@richardsoninds.com

Starting a Small Business Topic of Women in Management Meeting

Entrepreneur Caitlin Brotz, owner of Olivu, will share her story of taking a business from concept through reality of a successful company at the January 18 meeting of the Sheboygan Area Chapter of Women in Management, Inc. (WIMI).  The meeting, at the Elks Lodge, 1943 Erie Avenue in Sheboygan, will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m.  Cost for the luncheon is $12 for members and $15 for guests.  To attend, reservations must be made to Membership Chair Anne Harrington by Tuesday, January 10 at 5:00 p.m. to rsvpwim@gmail.com. 

Brotz became interested in natural, handmade beauty products in response to creating a lip balm from a recipe provided by a therapist when a close friend was badly burned and needed a product to promote healing. The initial batch yielded two quarts of lip balm so she went online to find tubes to give the product away to friends.  When her friend then also needed a natural lotion for healing, Brotz researched a variety of oils and created whipped lotion.  

After earning an entrepreneurship certificate from Collin County Community College in Texas, and a business degree from Lakeland College, Brotz founded Olivu in 2006. Brotz was recognized when she earned the Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business of the Year Award. She will speak to the WIMI group about the ups and downs of starting and growing a small business, the origins of the business name, and discuss the benefits of all natural, fresh ingredients as part of products in a beauty regime.  

WIMI is a networking group for area business women who are managers, aspiring managers, business professionals, and business owners.  The group has 86 members and growing and meets on the third Wednesday of each month, from noon to 1:30 p.m.   

For more information about Women in Management, Inc. contact Anne Harrington at 783-2429 or rsvpwim@gmail.com

Sheboygan Aquatics Society

The Sheboygan Aquatics Society is a non-profit organization ran by local hobbyists to promote education and healthy aquariums. Sheboygan Aquatics Society welcomes individuals as well as family participants. We hold monthly meetings the second Wednesday of each month from 6-7pm. For more information go to www.sheboygan-aquatics-society.webs.com or email with questions to ShebAquatcisSoc@att.ent

Women in Management Dec. meeting

Economic Outlook and Year-End Tax Planning to be Focus of December Women in Management Meeting
Sheboygan, WI — The December 21 meeting of the Sheboygan Area Chapter of Women in Management, Inc. (WIMI) will feature two financial services guest speakers: Alan Konetzki from Community Bank & Trust and Carla Biwan Hameister of Biwan & Biwan, SC, Certified Public Accountants.  The WIMI meeting, at the Elks Lodge at 1943 Erie Avenue in Sheboygan, will begin at noon and is scheduled to conclude by 1:30 p.m.  Cost for the luncheon is $12 for members and $15 for guests.  Reservations are due by Tuesday, December 13 at 5:00 p.m. to rsvpwim@gmail.com. 
Alan Konetzki will overview the general economy, offer predictions for 2012 and beyond, and share ideas for navigating in volatile markets such as those of recent years.  He is Senior Vice President of trust and investment management at Community Bank & Trust.  Prior to joining the local bank, he was a vice president at JP Morgan in the private client services area in Illinois where he handled the personal financial affairs for clients with net worths of $500,000 to $50 million. Konetzki’s career includes positions with Bank One in Colorado, US Bank, and running his own registered investment advisory firm in Milwaukee.  He earned a master in business administration from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and holds CLU and ChFC licenses.
Carla Hameister will recap year end tax planning strategies, identify credits and deductions that will be phased out, and offer options for the boomer generation.  She joined her father’s CPA practice in 1984 and began running it in 1986.  Biwan and Biwan offers a full range of accounting and tax services for individuals and businesses as well as web based accounting and tax software solutions.  Hameister earned a bachelor of business administration from St. Norbert College in DePere and is a certified public accountant.  She is a member of Next Generation Accounting Firm community, American 
Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants, National Association of Tax Preparers, and Wisconsin Association of Accountants. 
WIMI is a networking group for area business women who are managers, aspiring managers, business professionals, and business owners.  The group has 84 members and growing and meets on the third Wednesday of each month, from noon to 1:30 p.m.   
For more information about Women in Management, Inc. contact Anne Harrington at 783-2429 or rsvpwim@gmail.com
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Spice up The Holidays at Chai Tea Class

The last few years have seen phenomenal growth and interest in chai (pronounced as a single syllable that rhymes with “pie”) tea due to the exotic flavor. The Saturday, November 19 class at the Atrium Tea Room and Cafe in Sheboygan Falls will focus on chai tea and the spices that comprise it. The class is scheduled to  begin at 11:30 a.m. and run to 12:30 p.m.

Chai tea starts as a rich black tea; heavy milk, a variety of spices, and a sweetener complete it.  The spices used differ from the region in India that is making it, but the most common are cardamon, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and pepper.  

The simplest, traditional method of preparing chai is to simmer or boil a mixture of milk and water with loose leaf tea, sweeteners, and whole spices.  A wonderful aromatic experience from the mix of spices and herbs results while brewing. The solid tea and spice residues are strained off before serving.  As an alternative to the hot tea format, cold chai beverages range from simple spiced iced tea without milk to a slush of spiced tea, ice, and milk.

During the Christmas season, a quick chai can be made by combining plain tea with eggnog as a convenient, pre-spiced, presweetened dairy product.  It’s tips like this, along with recipes and serving suggestions that class participants will learn about.  Attendees will also quickly recognize that chai tea spices are the same commonly used in holiday cooking and baking.  

This class offers a chance to enjoy a variety of samplings of tea and three savory cuisine courses to accompany them while attendees take some time for themselves before the real hustle and hectic pace of the holidays begin.  Recipes and handouts are included in the class fee which is $25 per person.  Reservations are required.  Attendees will receive extra discounts on merchandise throughout the tea room and store the day of the class.  

Tea artisans Martha Vande Leest and Kathryn Schwark, trained by STI, the leader in the tea industry, will be instructors for the class.  Both have also received extra training from International Tea Specialists at the World Tea Conference.    

The “Spice Up Your Holidays” chai tea class will be held November 19 starting at 11:30 a.m. at the Atrium Tea Room and Cafe located in Richardson’s Furniture Emporium at 202 Pine Street in Sheboygan Falls.  For more information or to reserve a spot, call 467-6659 or e-mail kschwark@richardsoninds.com

LONGABERGER TO HOST BASKET FESTIVAL AT JELLY BELLY NOV. 10-13

Just in time for holiday shoppers seeking unique gift opportunities, The Longaberger Company will host a Basket Festival at the Jelly Belly Center in Pleasant Prairie, Wis. Taking place November 10-13, the event will feature limited edition Make-A-Basket opportunities, expanded shopping experiences, door prizes and more.

In addition to touring Jelly Belly’s warehouse and receiving free samples, guests at the Basket Festival will have the opportunity to:

-          Create and take home their own limited edition basket, or purchase a pre-made version

-          Shop Longaberger’s pop-up Factory Store for items including baskets, pottery, wrought-iron and handbags

-          Receive Longaberger Family signatures on Jelly Belly event baskets

-          Enter to win door prizes

The Basket Festival is free for visitors to attend. Opportunities for the Make-A-Basket experience are limited and walk-ins will be accepted as space allows. For more information about Longaberger and the products it offers, visit www.Longaberger.com or call 740-322-5588, option 6.

The Longaberger Company is America’s premier maker of handcrafted baskets and offers other home and lifestyle products, including pottery, wrought iron and fabric accessories. There are approximately 35,000 independent Home Consultants in all U.S. states who sell Longaberger products directly to customers.